Social Icons

Featured Posts

What To Expect From Grass-Fed Beef Farms

Monday, January 13, 2014

By Marissa Velazquez


Grass-fed beef farms are not a new concept. They may be better described as a returning concept. In the 1950s feed lots where cattle were exclusively fed grain became popular with ranchers and meat producers. Within thirty years nearly one hundred percent of the beef in this country came from large feed lots.

The change from grazing to feed lots came in the 1950s and seemed to be the answer to all possible reasons for shortages in the beef industry. It effectively neutralized problems with the weather and poor grazing areas while stabilizing the prices and markets for many grains. Unfortunately, nutritionists are questioning the value of this switch and its effect on the consumer's health.

The amount of omega 3 fatty acids in pasture fed cattle is three to four times higher than what feed lot cattle can produce. As the omega 3 dropped in meat, coincidentally, the rate of heart disease and obesity has significantly risen in this country in the past forty years. There are cancer fighting acids, such as CLA that have also been diminished by conversion to feed lot raising of cattle.

Meat products taken from cattle that are pasture grazed contain three to four times higher omega 3 acids as meat from feed lot cows. The omega 3 acids serve to keep blood pressure down and control heart disease. They also may help stop or delay many mental health issues such as Alzheimer's or dementia.

The cattle that are raised in pastures on a natural diet can take up to a full year longer to mature enough to be finished. The calves are left with the mothers for eight to ten months to ensure they mature naturally. The body frame then puts down natural marbling rather than layering on of fat as can be found in grain fed cattle.

It is an investment to decide to pasture graze your cattle. You have to be committed to devoting at least two years to your first herd of cattle you raise for sale. There are nearly two thousand farmers and ranchers on the American continent that have decided that it is better to spend the time and effort to create a better, healthier product for the market.

The anti-biotic that is given to the cattle to prevent diseases originating from being fed grain rather than pasture roughage is transferred to humans through the meat. Obviously, the more anti-biotic the cow is given the more probability that the animal will build up immunity to it. This does not touch on the stress caused by the crowded unsanitary living conditions the animals must endure prior to being slaughtered.

The people who own grass-fed beef farms cannot be called organic farmers. They are a cut above the organic classification. These farmers use absolutely no commercial feeds for their cattle. They create the best environment for the cattle that can be created to ensure that the best product can be expected when you purchase their beef.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment